The Barbed Wire - April 21, 2023

RCRC Joins Proceeding to Implement Federal Broadband Equity, Access, and Deployment (BEAD) Program

This week, RCRC submitted a formal motion to participate in a new California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC) proceeding to implement the Broadband Equity, Access, and Deployment (BEAD) Program, created by the federal Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA) of 2021. California was awarded a combined $8.99 million (split between the CPUC and California Department of Technology) for initial planning and are required to coordinate program rules and eligibility for subgrantees to construct last mile broadband infrastructure utilizing the state’s share of the $42.45 billion available nationwide under BEAD.  

The BEAD program directs the state to: (1) prioritize projects to service unserved locations determined by FCC National Broadband maps; (2) then underserved locations; and (3) rounding out with projects connecting eligible community anchor institutions that lack access to gigabit-level broadband service, such as schools, libraries, and healthcare facilities. Through this proceeding, the CPUC is seeking input to develop rules where they have the discretion to do so, such as criteria to ultimately select subgrantees. The CPUC has announced upcoming public engagement workshops over the next few weeks, to be held in person at various locations across the state. The calendar of workshops can be viewed here.  

For more information, please contact RCRC Senior Policy Advocate, Tracy Rhine.

Bill of the Week: SB 675 (Limón) – Prescribed Grazing: Local Assistance Grant Program

RCRC supports Senate Bill 675, authored by Senator Monique Limón (D-Santa Barbara), which expands various components of California’s overall forest resilience and wildfire mitigation strategy to include prescribed grazing. 

RCRC believes California must use every tool available to increase the pace and scale of fuels treatment across the state to effectively mitigate the risk of high severity wildfire. Prescribed grazing where and when appropriate is an extremely efficient and effective method of clearing overgrown brush and other fuels from around communities to prevent fires from igniting and endangering residents.  

SB 675 would encourage prescribed grazing by expanding the definition of fire prevention activities to include prescribed grazing, providing grant funding by expanding the state’s Local Assistance Grant Program, and including prescribed grazing in strategies under the Regional Forest and Fire Capacity program and the Wildfire and Forest Resilience Action Plan. The bill recently passed out of the Senate Natural Resources and Water Committee with unanimous support and is awaiting action in the Senate Appropriations Committee. RCRC’s letter of support is available here. For more information, please contact Staci Heaton at sheaton@rcrcnet.org.

CPUC Opens Proceeding to Consider Changes to the Digital Infrastructure and Video Competition Act (DIVCA)

The California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC) recently opened a new proceeding to consider changes to the CPUC’s licensing and oversight of video franchisees (i.e. cable providers) under the Digital Infrastructure and Video Competition Act (DIVCA). Prior to 2006, cable television franchises were issued by cities and counties, but was later transferred to the CPUC under DIVCA in an effort to grow cable service and increase competition. This proceeding will consider modernizing DIVCA, as well as how the CPUC should collect granular data on locations served by franchise holders, and how to handle customer service requirements and resolve complaints. Collecting more granular data that identifies where networks exist would give the CPUC a better understanding of how DIVCA franchisees have built their networks over the past 17 years, and would give important customer service oversight of these providers.  

For more information, please contact RCRC Senior Policy Advocate, Tracy Rhine.

Large Electric Utilities Submit Proposal for Income-Graduated Fixed Charge Rate Reform

Earlier this month, PG&E, Southern California Edison and San Diego Gas & Electric (the Joint IOUs) submitted a proposal to the California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC) to substantially change the electric rate structure for residential customers through a combination of an Income Graduated Fixed Charge (IGFC) based on the Federal Poverty Level (FPL) along with lower volumetric rates closer to a cost basis. The Joint IOUs argue their proposal is necessary to encourage greater electrification and decarbonization through rate reform by minimizing customer bill volatility during heat waves, for example.  

The Income Graduated Fixed Charge would replace minimum residential bills, currently set at $10, or $5 for low-income households. California has two rate assistance programs including the CARE program (amounting to a 30-35% discount on electric bills) and FERA program for larger households at 200-250% of the Federal Poverty Level that do not qualify for CARE (receiving an 18% discount). The Joint IOUs Income Graduated Fixed Charge is summarized in the table below.  

 

Income Bracket Description	Criteria	PG&E IGFC  ($/month)	SCE IGFC  ($/month)	SDG&E IGFC  ($/month)
Average Fixed Charge (not including volumetric rates)		$53	$49	$74
Very Low	< 100% FPL (CARE)	$15  (13% of customers)	$15  (11% of customers)	$24   (12% of customers)
Low   ($28,000 to $69,000)	< 250% FPL  (Other CARE/FERA)	$30  (15% of customers)	$20  (15% of customers)	$34  (15% of customers)
Moderate  ($69,000 to $180,000	< 650% FPL  (Non-CARE)	$51  (47% of customers)	$51  (55% of customers)	$73  (50% of customers)
High   ($180,000+)	> 650% FPL	$92  (25% of customers)	$85  (19% of customers)	$128  (23% of customers)

 

The Joint IOUs propose to recover costs of wildfire mitigation and vegetation management, reliability improvements, safety and risk management distribution costs, ongoing distribution operations and maintenance as well as other various programs that are not driven by a customer’s usage in the Income Graduated Fixed Charge. However, other non-bypassable fixed charges—such as the Wildfire Fund Charge and continued operation of Diablo Canyon nuclear facility, among others—would not be collected through the proposed Income Graduated Fixed Charge. Additionally, the Joint IOUs are proposing to verify customer incomes through a third party (to be determined) with costs potentially borne by taxpayers. 

 

This is the most recent attempt by the large investor-owned utilities to gain approval for default residential fixed charges as part of their rate design, not including recent changes to the net energy metering (NEM) tariff. This proposal is pending in a rate-setting proceeding to advance demand flexibility through electric rates. RCRC is not a formal party to this proceeding and continues to evaluate the implications of the proposal. For more information, please contact RCRC Policy Advocate, Leigh Kammerich. 

 

USDA Announces Approval of D-SNAP for California Disaster Areas

On April 13th, the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) announced that low-income California residents in seven counties recovering from the impact of severe storms, flooding, landslides, and mudslides that began on February 21, 2023, could be eligible for assistance from the USDA’s Disaster Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (D-SNAP).  Eligible counites include the RCRC member counties of Mariposa, Monterey, San Benito, Tulare, and Tuolumne, as well as the counties of Kern and Santa Cruz. To be eligible for D-SNAP, a household must either live or work in an identified disaster area, have been affected by the disaster, and meet certain D-SNAP eligibility criteria. Eligible households will receive one month of benefits – equal to the maximum monthly amount for a SNAP household of their size – that can be used to purchase groceries at SNAP-authorized stores or from select retailers online to meet their temporary food needs as they settle back home following the disaster. 

Nuclear Regulatory Commission Accepts Invitation to Host Public Forum on Future of Diablo Canyon Power Plant

The Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) will host a public forum on May 3rd regarding the license renewal process for the Diablo Canyon Power Plant. Congressman Salud Carbajal (D-Santa Barbara) extended the invitation, to provide NRC the opportunity to answer questions directly from Central Coast residents about the assessments and processes that will be undertaken to certify the plant’s safety. A similar public forum was held last August by the California Energy Commission, California Independent System Operator, and the office of Governor Newsom to allow for community questions and public engagement. The upcoming public forum will begin at 6 p.m. on Wednesday, May 3rd, 2023.The meeting will be held at the Board Chambers in the San Luis Obispo Government Building at 1055 Monterey Street in San Luis Obispo. The meeting can also be attended virtually via Microsoft Teams, or by teleconference line. More information about the forum can be found here. 

  

BULLETIN BOARD

Announcements regarding hearings, grants, and public comment notices of importance to California's rural counties.

 

Two-Day Public Workshop Announced for Large Utility Wildfire Mitigation Plans

On April 27-28, 2023, the Office of Energy Infrastructure Safety (Energy Safety) will host a virtual public workshop on the respective comprehensive 2023-2025 Wildfire Mitigation Plans of Pacific Gas and Electric Company (PG&E), Southern California Edison Company (SCE), and San Diego Gas & Electric Company (SDG&E). Day 1 will primarily focus on utility vegetation management, grid operations and emergency preparedness while Day 2 will discuss situational awareness and risk assessment. To view the full agenda and event details, see here.

 

Energy Safety to Host Stakeholder Meeting on Community Vulnerability in Wildfire Mitigation Planning

The Office of Energy Infrastructure Safety (Energy Safety) is hosting scoping meeting on Wednesday, May 10, 2023 from 10am to 12:30pm for stakeholders—including state agencies and California’s electrical corporations—to share ideas and discuss the inclusion of community vulnerability in wildfire mitigation planning, such as how to measure these factors to inform risk modeling and decision making. The meeting notice and agenda can be viewed here. Register here. 
 

CPUC Public Forums on Telecommunications Service Quality Standards

The California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC) is requesting public and customer feedback on telephone, mobile voice, and Voice over the Internet Protocol (VoIP) service providers. Specifically, the CPUC, through a proceeding RCRC is formally participating in, is considering expanding service quality rules currently in place for landline telephone service only to other telecommunications services, such as VoIP/internet phone, wireless phones, and internet/broadband services. The goal of the proceeding and these public comment forums is to assess whether existing rules meet the current needs of Californians and will consider expanding reliability standards for customers to access emergency services, public health, education, and other resources.

WHEN:                  Thursday, May 3, 2023 at 2pm and/or 6pm

WHERE:                1-800-857-1917, passcode 1767567#; (for Spanish, please use passcode 3799627#). To view a video broadcast only, visit www.adminmonitor.com/ca/cpuc.

Written public comments are accepted on an ongoing basis through the proceeding’s docket, see here.

 

Due April 28th: Cannabis Grant Applications for Local Jurisdictions

The Department of Cannabis Control (DCC) has announced a Retail Access Grant to provide resources for local governments to develop and implement cannabis retailer licensing programs. This funding can be used by counties that currently do not have a cannabis retail licensing program to comply with SB 1186, with funding (ranging from $100,000 to $325,000) awarded based on population and can be used for personnel costs (such as salary and benefits for local government staff), permitting expenses (e.g. software costs), environmental reviews and other uses. The grant guidelines may be found here, and Phase 1 applications ($10 million total) are due by 5pm on April 28, 2023.   DCC is providing “priority review points” to cities or counties in the following RCRC grant-eligible counties: Amador, Butte, Glenn, Lassen, Madera, Placer, San Benito, Sutter, Tehama, and Yuba.  

The California Department of Fish and Wildlife (CDFW) announced over $20 million is available in 2022-23 for Cannabis Restoration Grants, including to support the cleanup, remediation, and enhancement of watersheds and wildlife habitats impacted by illicit cannabis cultivation. CDFW is accepting grant proposals from eligible applicants, such as counties, on a rolling basis until funding is exhausted. Project types may include, for example, cleanup and remediation of impacts on (qualified) public land and private land, decommissioning roads, upgrading road crossings, upgrading culverts, and other projects that minimize erosion and sediment delivery, increase water conservation, and/or enhance biodiversity and wildlife habitat. Program guidelines can be viewed here; for more information, see here. 

 

Career Opportunities

Butte County

• BUTTE COUNTY IS SEEKING a professional who is a proven project manager, communicator and presenter. The desired candidate will possess knowledge and experience functioning as a liaison between various departments within an organization and the Chief Administrative Officer. In addition, the ideal candidate will have knowledge and successful experience is the areas of budget preparation, analysis, review and forecasting (preferably County experience). The Deputy Administrative Officer is a management level classification that functions independently and is expected to possess a comprehensive knowledge of Butte County political environment, policies and procedures, and organizational development strategies; serves as a resource to Chief Administrative Officer (CAO) and Board of Supervisors. To learn more about this exciting career opportunity please view the recruitment brochure HERE and click HERE to apply. Closes May 14, 2023 11:59 PM.

Shasta County

• Deputy County Counsel II/III/Senior Deputy County Counsel ($102,300.00 - $174,144.00 Annually). Click here for the job bulletin, or see here for more information and to apply.
• Health Officer ($201,588.00 - $257,304.00 Annually). Click here for the job bulletin,or see here for more information and to apply.

Sierra County

• The County of Sierra is seeking a Director of Health and Social Services, responsible for the management and administration of Department of Health and Social Services.  A full description and qualifications are available here. For more information, visit the county website here or call (530) 289-2879.
• The Sierra County Department of Transportation is recruiting for a Transportation Planner II or III, depending on qualifications. This position is open until filled. For more information, see the county website here or call 530-289-2879

Tuolumne County

• Chief Deputy Assistant County Clerk & Auditor-Controller ($125,468-$152,507 Annually).
  The County of Tuolumne is seeking qualified candidates for a Chief Deputy Assistant department head who will have primary supervision and administrative oversight of the department and may assume full responsibility of the office in the absence of the County Clerk & Auditor Controller.  Requires bachelor’s degree in accounting or related and to meet one (1) of four (4) additional qualifications as outlined in the full job announcement. For additional information, or to apply, see here. Closes May 3, 2023, at 11:59 p.m.
   

Yolo County

• The County of Yolo is recruiting to fill an at-will full-time position in the class of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI) Manager at the County Administrator's Office. The recruitment is scheduled to close at 11:00 PM on Friday, April 14, 2023. As a key member of the leadership team, the DEI Manager performs complex strategic planning and analytical work to develop, manage, coordinate, implement, and refine the County's DEI programs and activities. The incumbent functions as a project manager with the authority to develop and make independent decisions within broad policies and procedures as determined by County executive management, the Board of Supervisors, and federal, state and county laws, ordinances, and regulations. To view the Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities and full DEI Manager job description, click here.

• The County of Yolo is recruiting to fill one (1) regular, full-time position in the class of Public Information Officer (PIO) at the County Administrator's Office. The role of the Public Information Officer is to manage the County’s communications with the public through press releases, social media, videos, live media and the County website. The PIO informs and engages the community and other stakeholders regarding County activities, services, and strategies.  The PIO also functions as the County Spokesperson which requires knowledge of County programs and policies. As a member of the County Emergency Operations Center personnel, the PIO also acts in a lead capacity in disseminating information during an emergency. The full job announcement can be found here. This position is open until filled.

PPIC

• The Public Policy Institute of California (PPIC) is accepting applications for the Director of PPIC's Water Policy Center. With a strong track record of conducting compelling research, the Center Director will lead this dynamic policy area and serve as a resource for key decision makers and stakeholders. They will be responsible for managing a talented in-house team and the operating budget for the Center’s activities, and will be a member of PPIC’s executive team, reporting to the President’s Office. Applications and materials are due by Friday, May 19, 2023. Find additional information and apply here.

UC ANR

• Alameda/Contra Costa Area County Director – Job ID 51253 (https://ucanr.edu/About/Jobs/?jobnum=2486) The University of California, Agriculture and Natural Resources (UC ANR) is seeking a UC Cooperative Extension (UCCE) Area County Director to provide leadership in support of applied research, extension and outreach programs across Alameda and Contra Costa Counties. Our mission is to bring the programs and resources of UC directly to all Californians through research and education programs that support:
  • Sustainable, safe, and nutritious food production and delivery
  • Economic success in a global economy
  • A sustainable, healthy, and productive environment
  • Science literacy and youth development

The Area County Director is responsible for the coordination and overall operation of UCCE programs, in cooperation with county government, in Alameda and Contra Costa Counties. The Area County Director oversees management of the physical plant and human resources. They will increase the visibility of UCCE through community engagement, including but not limited to, needs assessments, representing UC ANR in local and/or regional initiatives, participation in relevant policy development, and communicating the positive impacts and benefits realized by the citizens and workforce of the local counties, region and state from the activities and contributions of local UCCE programs. The Area County Director will endeavor to make sure that the programs and resources of the University of California are available to residents of both counties.

 

USDA Grants Available to Help Rural California Repair Their Homes Damaged By Floods and Fires in 2022

U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Rural Development announces the availability of grants to help people repair their homes that were damaged by severe weather or natural disasters in 2022, including the California Mosquito, Oak, Coastal, Fairview, and Mill fires as well as severe winter storms, flooding, landslides, and mudslides.

People living in identified counties in California may be eligible for the funding. The homes must be located in presidentially declared disaster areas.

The grants will be available through supplemental disaster funding under the Rural Disaster Home Repair Grant Program. Through this program, people may apply to receive grants of up to $40,675 directly from USDA to repair their homes.

Funds will be available until expended. They may be used to:

• Pay for home repair expenses that were a result of a presidentially declared disaster in calendar year 2022.
• Prepare a site for a manufactured home.
• Relocate a manufactured home.

To be eligible:

• Applicants must have household incomes that do not exceed the low-limits based on their household size and county.
• Homes must be located in an eligible rural area.
• Homes must be located in a presidentially declared disaster areas 2022.

Residents in the following counties may be eligible for the funding: Alameda, Alpine, Amador, Butte, Calaveras, Colusa, Contra Costa, Del Norte, El Dorado, Fresno, Glenn, Humboldt, Inyo, Los Angeles, Madera, Marin, Mariposa, Mendocino, Merced, Monterey, Napa, Nevada, Orange, Placer, Riverside, Sacramento, San Benito, San Diego, San Francisco, San Joaquin, San Luis Obispo, San Mateo, Santa Barbara, Santa Clara, Santa Cruz, Siskiyou, Solano, Sonoma, Stanislaus, Sutter, Tehama, Trinity, Tulare, Tuolumne, Ventura, and Yolo

For more information on how to apply, visit the USDA website here.

 

Access the State Grants Portal for a Multitude of Funding Opportunities

Billions of dollars are up for grabs to public agencies and other entities, including tribes and businesses. Grant seekers can access a centralized portal of grant and loan opportunities here, or sign up to receive new grant opportunities delivered straight to your inbox

IN THE NEWS

RCRC press releases and related news clips about RCRC and our member counties. Please note that a subscription may be required to read some external publications.

 

Rural hospitals in California are in danger of mass closures – The Sacramento Bee

In California, over half of hospitals are at risk of shutting down due in large part to low Medi-Cal and Medicare reimbursement rates and the expenses incurred in dealing with the COVID-19 outbreak. This commentary to the Sacramento Bee, by Madera County Supervisor and RCRC Delegate, Robert Poythress, describes the financial difficulties faced by small rural hospitals in California as they struggle to remain open and serve rural residents.

 

California must save Colusa County from devastating drought – The Sacramento Bee

Despite recent atmospheric river storms, California is projected to experience more frequent and severe drought periods, reducing the reliability of the Sierra Nevada snowpack. This Sacramento Bee commentary, by Colusa County Supervisor and RCRC Delegate, Daurice Kalfsbeek Smith, explores drought's environmental and economic impacts on farming communities, like those in RCRC-member Colusa County, and how sensible water storage and management options may help in adapting to an ever-changing climate.  

 

After the deluge: Floods may taint more drinking water in California – Capital Public Radio

Nitrate contamination of well water has been a decades-long problem in the San Joaquin and Salinas valleys.  Following California’s historic storms, experts are concerned about the potential for more fertilizer and manure to be flushed into aquifers.

 

LEGISLATIVE UPDATE

Information related to the current status of legislation impacting California’s rural counties.

AB 50   (Wood)   Public utilities: timely service: timely electrical interconnection.   Seeks to establish clear expectations for how quickly utilities are expected to deliver service to new customers and fulfill requests for increased load from existing customers. Invests the CPUC with authority to determine what constitutes the timely provision of electrical service and fulfillment of requests to provide additional capacity. Requires utilities to refine their distribution planning processes to work more collaboratively with local governments and ensure that the projected demand for a given planning cycle more closely matches the actual demand for service. Requires utilities to share information with local governments about where distribution capacity exists or could be easily added to help meet local housing and economic development objectives.   Location: Assembly U. & E.   Status: 4/18/2023-Re-referred to Com. on U. & E.   Position:   Support   Staff:  John (1)

AB 54   (Aguiar-Curry)   Department of Food and Agriculture: research funding: winegrapes: smoke exposure.     Location: Assembly Appropriations Suspense File   Status: 4/19/2023-In committee: Set, first hearing. Referred to suspense file.   Position:   Support   Staff:  Mary-Ann (1), Staci (1)

AB 62   (Mathis)   Statewide water storage: expansion.     Location: Assembly Appropriations   Status: 4/20/2023-Read second time and amended.    Staff:  Sidd (1)

AB 68   (Ward)   Land use: streamlined housing approvals: density, subdivision, and utility approvals.     Location: Assembly Housing and Community Development   Status: 4/17/2023-Re-referred to Com. on H. & C.D.   Position:   Pending   Staff:  Tracy (1)

AB 78   (Ward)   Grand juries.   AB 78 makes changes in Section 890 of the Penal Code, which would increase the per diem rate paid to civil and criminal grand juries from the current statutorily required $15 per day to an amount “equal to seventy percent of the county median daily income.” SB 78 lacks a mechanism to cover the additional cost this bill imposes on counties.   Location: Assembly Appropriations Suspense File   Status: 3/22/2023-In committee: Set, first hearing. Referred to APPR. suspense file.   Position:   Oppose Unless Amended   Staff:  Sarah (1)

AB 297   (Fong, Vince)   Wildfires: local assistance grant program: advance payments.     Location: Assembly Appropriations Suspense File   Status: 4/19/2023-In committee: Set, first hearing. Referred to suspense file.   Position:   Support   Staff:  Staci (1)

AB 338   (Aguiar-Curry)   Public works: definition.     Location: Assembly Appropriations Suspense File   Status: 4/19/2023-In committee: Set, first hearing. Referred to suspense file.   Position:   Oppose   Staff:  Staci (1)

AB 356   (Mathis)   California Environmental Quality Act: aesthetic impacts.   Extends the sunset date of a California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) provision specifying that a lead agency is not required to evaluate the aesthetic effects of a project and aesthetic effects are not considered significant effects on the environment if the project involves the refurbishment, conversion, repurposing, or replacement of an existing building that meets certain requirements.   Location: Assembly Appropriations   Status: 4/19/2023-Re-referred to Com. on APPR.   Position:   Support   Staff:  John (1)

AB 422   (Alanis)   Natural Resources Agency: statewide water storage: tracking.     Location: Assembly Water, Parks and Wildlife   Status: 2/9/2023-Referred to Com. on W., P., & W.   Position:   Watch   Staff:  Sidd (1)

AB 429   (Bennett)   Groundwater wells: permits.   If 1% of domestic wells go dry in a critically overdrafted basin, this bill prohibit a county, city, or any other water well permitting agency from approving a permit for a new groundwater well or for an alteration to an existing well in a basin subject to the act and classified as a critically overdrafted basin unless the city county or well permitting agency obtains written verification from a groundwater sustainability agency that the proposed well would not be inconsistent with any sustainable groundwater management program AND the proposed well would not decrease the likelihood of achieving a sustainability goal for the basin covered by the plan.   Location: Assembly Water, Parks and Wildlife   Status: 3/28/2023-In committee: Set, first hearing. Hearing canceled at the request of author.   Position:   Oppose   Staff:  Sidd (1)

AB 460   (Bauer-Kahan)   State Water Resources Control Board: water rights and usage: interim relief: procedures.     Location: Assembly Judiciary   Status: 4/19/2023-From committee: Do pass and re-refer to Com. on JUD. (Ayes 9. Noes 4.) (April 18). Re-referred to Com. on JUD.   Position:   Watch   Staff:  Sidd (1)

AB 504   (Reyes)   State and local public employees: labor relations: disputes.     Location: Assembly Appropriations   Status: 4/18/2023-Coauthors revised. From committee: Do pass and re-refer to Com. on APPR. (Ayes 8. Noes 3.) (April 18). Re-referred to Com. on APPR.   Position:   Oppose   Staff:  Sarah (1)

AB 592   (Wilson)   Vehicles: nonfranchise solid waste haulers.   Allows Contra Costa County, or any other county, to create a program to regulate nonfranchise waste hauling operations within the county.   Location: Assembly Local Government   Status: 4/19/2023-Re-referred to Com. on L. GOV.   Position:   Watch   Staff:  John (1)

AB 606   (Mathis)   California Endangered Species Act: accidental take: farms or ranches.     Location: Assembly Consent Calendar   Status: 4/20/2023-Read second time. Ordered to Consent Calendar.   Position:   Support   Staff:  Staci (1)

AB 625   (Aguiar-Curry)   Forest biomass: management: emissions: energy.   Establishes the Forest Waste Biomass Utilization Program to be administered by the state board’s Joint Institute for Wood Products Innovation to develop an implementation plan to meet the goals and recommendations of the state’s wood utilization policies and priorities, and to develop a workforce training program to complement the workforce needs associated with the implementation plan. Requires annual reports on implementing the plan. Requires the Energy Commission to prepare and submit a report to the Legislature evaluating innovative bioenergy technologies that use forest biomass waste. Requires the Energy Commission to include in its integrated policy report an assessment of the potential for forest biomass waste energy to provide firm renewable power. Requires ARB to develop a methodology to quantify the greenhouse gas and short-lived climate pollutant emissions from wildfire, pile burning, and forest management activities.   Location: Assembly Appropriations   Status: 4/17/2023-Re-referred to Com. on APPR.   Position:   Support   Staff:  John (1)

AB 692   (Patterson, Jim)   California Environmental Quality Act: exemption: egress route projects: fire safety.   Exempts from the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) egress route projects undertaken by a public agency to improve emergency access to and evacuation from a subdivision without a secondary egress route if the State Board of Forestry and Fire Protection has recommended the creation of a secondary access to the subdivision.   Location: Assembly Appropriations   Status: 3/28/2023-From committee: Do pass and re-refer to Com. on APPR. (Ayes 9. Noes 0.) (March 27). Re-referred to Com. on APPR.   Position:   Support   Staff:  John (1)

AB 704   (Patterson, Jim)   Energy: building standards: photovoltaic requirements.   Exempts homes meeting certain requirements and rebuilt after being destroyed by a wildfire from state laws requiring installation of solar panels, until January 1, 2027.   Location: Assembly Appropriations Suspense File   Status: 4/19/2023-In committee: Set, first hearing. Referred to suspense file.   Position:   Support   Staff:  John (1)

AB 772   (Jackson)   State Foster Care Ombudsperson.   Requires the Energy Commission to require that each single-family residence constructed on and after January 1, 2025 include a rapid compact electric vehicle charger and that each multifamily residence constructed on and after January 1, 2025 include sufficient rapid compact electric vehicle chargers to serve at least 10% of its residential capacity at any given time.   Location: Assembly Human Services   Status: 4/20/2023-Re-referred to Com. on HUM. S. pursuant to Assembly Rule 96.   Position:   Pending   Staff:  John (1)

AB 817   (Pacheco)   Open meetings: teleconferencing: subsidiary body.   AB 817 would provide a narrow exemption under the Ralph M.Brown Act for non-decision-making legislative bodies currently governed by Act, such as advisory bodies and commissions, to participate in two-way virtual teleconferencing without posting physical location of members. In addition, AB 817 would remove barriers to entry for appointed and elected office by allowing non-decision-making legislative bodies to participate virtually as long as they do not have the ability to take final action on legislation, regulations, contracts, licenses, permits, or other entitlements.   Location: Assembly Local Government   Status: 3/20/2023-Re-referred to Com. on L. GOV.   Position:   Sponsor   Staff:  Sarah (1)

AB 909   (Hoover)   Solid Waste Disposal and Codisposal Site Cleanup Program.   Makes illegally disposed hazardous wastes eligible for funding under the CalRecycle’s illegal dumping grant program.   Location: Assembly Appropriations Suspense File   Status: 4/19/2023-In committee: Set, first hearing. Referred to suspense file.   Position:   Sponsor   Staff:  John (1)

AB 944   (Irwin)   Fire stations: alternative power generation.   Declares Legislative intent to require fire stations to have an alternative method of power generation during power outages.   Location: Assembly Appropriations   Status: 4/17/2023-VOTE: Do pass as amended and be re-referred to the Committee on [Appropriations] (PASS)   Position:   Watch   Staff:  John (1)

AB 998   (Connolly)   Biomass energy facilities: State Energy Resources Conservation and Development Commission: report.   Requires the Energy Commission to issue a report on the utility-scale biomass combustion facilities still in operation as of January 1, 2024. The report must include an assessment of operational factors of each facility, a comparison of direct combustion compared to other biomass energy technologies, and a recommended strategy, if appropriate, to repower biomass combustion facilities to noncombustion conversion technologies. The report must include recommendations and strategies related to areas where combustion biomass facilities may be shut down or repowered, including strategies related to baseload power generation, processing waste, and job training.   Location: Assembly Appropriations   Status: 4/18/2023-Re-referred to Com. on APPR.   Position:   Support   Staff:  John (1)

AB 1000   (Reyes)   Qualifying logistics use projects.   Prohibits local governments from approving warehouse development projects located within 1,000 feet of a large variety of sensitive receptors. Imposes new conditions on local approval of warehouse projects between 750-1000 feet of those sensitive receptors, in addition to mitigation measures required under CEQA.   Location: Assembly Local Government   Status: 4/18/2023-From committee: Do pass and re-refer to Com. on L. GOV. (Ayes 8. Noes 3.) (April 17). Re-referred to Com. on L. GOV.   Position:   Oppose   Staff:  John (1)

AB 1272   (Wood)   State Water Resources Control Board: drought planning.     Location: Assembly Appropriations   Status: 3/28/2023-From committee: Do pass and re-refer to Com. on APPR. (Ayes 12. Noes 2.) (March 28). Re-referred to Com. on APPR.   Position:   Watch   Staff:  Sidd (1)

AB 1337   (Wicks)   State Water Resources Control Board: water diversion curtailment.     Location: Assembly Judiciary   Status: 4/20/2023-Read second time and amended.   Position:   Watch   Staff:  Sidd (1)

AB 1448   (Wallis)   Cannabis: enforcement by local jurisdictions.   AB 1448 would enhance local enforcement mechanisms for unlicensed cannabis activities by creating a streamlined local administrative penalty process, allow local jurisdictions to utilize statutory penalties and create more collection options.   Location: Assembly Judiciary   Status: 4/17/2023-Re-referred to Com. on JUD.   Position:   Sponsor   Staff:  Sarah (1)

AB 1484   (Zbur)   Temporary public employees.   While AB 1484 is ostensibly intended to benefit temporary employees of local public agencies, in reality, it will directly harm these employees by severely limiting their future opportunities for temporary employment. This bill would: inflexibly mandate that temporary employees must be included within the same bargaining unit as permanent employees; and that the wages, hours, plus terms and conditions of employment for both temporary and permanent employees must be bargained together in a single memorandum of understanding. This result is already possible under current law, but only if the temporary and permanent employees have a "community of interest" making such combined treatment appropriate – an important component of fair representation and bargaining that this bill eschews.   Location: Assembly Appropriations   Status: 4/12/2023-Coauthors revised. From committee: Do pass and re-refer to Com. on APPR. (Ayes 5. Noes 2.) (April 12). Re-referred to Com. on APPR.   Position:   Oppose   Staff:  Sarah (1)

AB 1534   (Irwin)   Methane emissions: municipal solid waste landfills: remote sensing data.   Requires ARB to incorporate the use of remote sensing data into its landfill methane emissions regulations.   Location: Assembly Appropriations   Status: 4/11/2023-From committee: Do pass and re-refer to Com. on APPR. (Ayes 11. Noes 0.) (April 10). Re-referred to Com. on APPR.   Position:   Watch   Staff:  Staci (1)

AB 1548   (Hart)   Greenhouse Gas Reduction Fund: grant program: recycling infrastructure projects.   Expands CalRecycle’s existing solid and organic waste recycling grant program to help local governments get recycled material into the marketplace, find new homes for useful consumer goods, and expand local edible food recovery programs.   Location: Assembly Appropriations   Status: 4/20/2023-Read second time and amended.   Position:   Sponsor   Staff:  John (1)

AB 1554   (Patterson, Joe)   California Environmental Quality Act: exemption: wildfire fuels reduction projects.   Exempts from CEQA fuels reduction projects in areas within moderate, high, and very high fire hazard severity zones.   Location: Assembly Natural Resources   Status: 3/9/2023-Referred to Com. on NAT. RES.   Position:   Pending   Staff:  John (1)

AB 1563   (Bennett)   Groundwater sustainability agency: groundwater extraction permit: verification.     Location: Assembly Appropriations Suspense File   Status: 4/19/2023-In committee: Set, first hearing. Referred to suspense file.    Staff:  Sidd (1)

AB 1597   (Alvarez)   Water quality: California-Mexico cross-border rivers.   Makes $50 million available, upon appropriation from the General Fund, to the North American Development Bank for loans, grants, and direct expenditures to address water quality problems arising in the California-Mexico cross-border rivers. Requires funding to be available for water quality projects for the Tijuana River and for projects consistent with the New River Water Quality, Public Health, and River Parkway Development Plan.   Location: Assembly Judiciary   Status: 4/19/2023-Coauthors revised. From committee: Do pass and re-refer to Com. on JUD. with recommendation: To Consent Calendar. (Ayes 9. Noes 0.) (April 18). Re-referred to Com. on JUD.   Position:   Support   Staff:  John (1)

AB 1616   (Lackey)   California Cannabis Tax Fund: Board of State and Community Corrections grants.   AB 1616 would require the Board of State and Community Corrections to prioritize local governments whose programs seek to address the unlawful cultivation and sale of cannabis when disbursing grants from California Cannabis Tax Fund. The bill would also authorize the board to make grants to local governments that ban both indoor and outdoor commercial cannabis cultivation or ban retail sale of cannabis or cannabis products.   Location: Assembly Appropriations   Status: 4/11/2023-From committee: Do pass and re-refer to Com. on APPR. with recommendation: To Consent Calendar. (Ayes 18. Noes 0.) (April 11). Re-referred to Com. on APPR.   Position:   Support   Staff:  Sarah (1)

AB 1700   (Hoover)   California Environmental Quality Act: population growth and noise impacts: housing projects.   Provides that population growth, in and of itself, resulting from a housing project and noise impacts of a housing project are not an effect on the environment for purposes of CEQA.   Location: Assembly Natural Resources   Status: 3/9/2023-Referred to Com. on NAT. RES.   Position:   Pending   Staff:  John (1)

SB 23   (Caballero)   Water supply and flood risk reduction projects: expedited permitting.     Location: Senate Environmental Quality   Status: 4/18/2023-Set for hearing April 26.    Staff:  Sidd (1)

SB 35   (Umberg)   Community Assistance, Recovery, and Empowerment (CARE) Court Program.     Location: Senate Appropriations   Status: 4/20/2023-From committee: Do pass and re-refer to Com. on APPR with recommendation: To consent calendar. (Ayes 11. Noes 0.) (April 19). Re-referred to Com. on APPR.   Position:   Pending   Staff:  Sarah (1)

SB 38   (Laird)   Battery energy storage facilities: emergency response and evacuation plans.   States Legislature intent to enact future legislation to address the need for better safety systems at battery storage facilities.   Location: Senate Appropriations   Status: 4/18/2023-Read second time and amended. Re-referred to Com. on APPR.   Position:   Watch   Staff:  John (1)

SB 69   (Cortese)   California Environmental Quality Act: judicial and administrative proceedings: limitations.     Location: Senate Appropriations   Status: 4/14/2023-Set for hearing April 24.   Position:   Pending   Staff:  John (1)

SB 75   (Roth)   Courts: judgeships.   SB 75 would authorize 26 new superior court judgeships, subject to appropriation. If funded in the budget, any new judgeships would be allocated to counties in the state in accordance with the Judicial Council's Judicial Needs Assessment.   Location: Senate Appropriations Suspense File   Status: 4/10/2023-April 10 hearing: Placed on APPR suspense file.   Position:   Support   Staff:  Sarah (1)

SB 91   (Umberg)   California Environmental Quality Act: exemption: supportive and transitional housing: motel conversion.   Repeals the sunset date of a California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) exemption for conversion a motel, hotel, residential hotel, or hostel to supportive or transitional housing.   Location: Senate Appropriations   Status: 4/19/2023-From committee: Do pass and re-refer to Com. on APPR with recommendation: To consent calendar. (Ayes 10. Noes 0.) (April 18). Re-referred to Com. on APPR.   Position:   Support   Staff:  John (1)

SB 367   (Seyarto)   Farm, ranch, and public lands cleanup and abatement: grant program.   Creates a grant program to facilitate the proper disposal of illegally dumped waste on state and federal lands.   Location: Senate Appropriations Suspense File   Status: 4/10/2023-April 10 hearing: Placed on APPR suspense file.   Position:   Support   Staff:  John (1)

SB 378   (Gonzalez)   State parks: state beaches: expanded polystyrene food container and cooler ban.   Bans people from bringing an expanded polystyrene food container or cooler onto a state beach or in a unit of the state park system and for improper disposal of those products.   Location: Senate Natural Resources and Water   Status: 4/3/2023-April 11 set for first hearing canceled at the request of author.   Position:   Watch   Staff:  John (1)

SB 393   (Glazer)   California Environmental Quality Act: judicial challenge: identification of contributors: housing projects.   Requires a CEQA plaintiff or petitioner to disclose the identity of persons and entities that contribute more than $5,000 towards litigation costs for housing projects. Requires a plaintiff or petitioner to identify any pecuniary or economic interest related to any person who contributes more than $5,000 to the costs of the action.   Location: Senate Judiciary   Status: 4/18/2023-Set for hearing May 2.   Position:   Pending   Staff:  John (1)

SB 406   (Cortese)   California Environmental Quality Act: exemption: financial assistance: housing.   Exempts from the California Environmental Quality Act actions of a local agency to provide financial assistance or insurance for the development and construction of low- or moderate-income residential housing.   Location: Senate Housing   Status: 3/30/2023-Set for hearing May 2.   Position:   Support   Staff:  John (1)

SB 410   (Becker)   Powering Up Californians Act.   Seeks to improve electrical distribution planning, reduce interconnection delays, and ensure that California residents and businesses can timely access new and increased service for general economic growth, housing production, and meeting the state’s decarbonization goals. Charges the Public Utilities Commission (CPUC) with establishing reasonable average and maximum interconnection time periods.   Location: Senate Appropriations   Status: 4/18/2023-VOTE: Do pass as amended, but first amend, and re-refer to the Committee on [Appropriations] (PASS)   Position:   Support   Staff:  John (1)

SB 507   (Gonzalez)   Electric vehicle charging station infrastructure: assessments.   Requires the Energy Commission to assess the electric vehicle (EV) charging infrastructure needed to meet zero-emission vehicle goals and ensure equitable deployment of EV charging infrastructure, including whether EV charging stations are disproportionately distributed, and whether homes have equal access to electrical panel upgrades to support at-home charging in single-family and multi-family housing. SB 507 requires the Energy Commission to quantify EV charging needs of rural, low-income, as well as disadvantaged communities and provide recommendations to remove barriers to achieve equity of EV charging infrastructure.   Location: Senate Transportation   Status: 4/17/2023-From committee with author's amendments. Read second time and amended. Re-referred to Com. on TRANS.   Position:   Support   Staff:  Leigh (1)

SB 525   (Durazo)   Minimum wage: health care workers.   SB 525 proposes to raise the health care minimum wage broadly across the health sector to $25 per hour, including for employees working in county agencies – specifically, county health departments, county mental health departments, county correctional health settings, county hospitals, and county owned and operated clinics. Additionally, SB 525 requires salaried employees to be paid twice the proposed $25/hour minimum wage – creating a new salary base of $104,000 per year.   Location: Senate Appropriations   Status: 4/17/2023-Read second time and amended. Re-referred to Com. on APPR.   Position:   Oppose   Staff:  Sarah (1)

SB 551   (Portantino)   Mental Health Services Act: prevention and early intervention.   SB 551 would divert 20% of the prevention and early intervention funds from the Mental Health Services Fund (MHSA), to provide direct services on school campuses.   Location: Senate Health   Status: 4/13/2023-Set for hearing April 26.   Position:   Oppose   Staff:  Sarah (1)

SB 560   (Laird)   Solid waste: gas cylinders: stewardship program.   States legislative intent to establish a framework for expended producer responsibility for the end-of-life management of covered gas cylinders.   Location: Senate Judiciary   Status: 4/19/2023-From committee: Do pass and re-refer to Com. on JUD. (Ayes 5. Noes 0.) (April 19). Re-referred to Com. on JUD.   Position:   Support In Concept   Staff:  John (1)

SB 613   (Seyarto)   Organic waste: reduction goals: local jurisdictions: low-population exemption.   Exempts from SB 1383 regulations local jurisdictions that dispose less than 5,000 tons of solid waste per year and that have fewer than 7,500 people.   Location: Senate Appropriations   Status: 4/20/2023-April 24 hearing postponed by committee.   Position:   Watch   Staff:  John (1)

SB 615   (Allen)   Vehicle traction batteries.   Requires all electric vehicle traction batteries to be recovered, reused, repurposed, remanufactured, or recycled at the end of their useful life in a motor vehicle or other application. Requires vehicle manufacturers, dismantlers, and secondary users to be responsible for end-of-life management of the battery.   Location: Senate Transportation   Status: 4/12/2023-From committee with author's amendments. Read second time and amended. Re-referred to Com. on TRANS.   Position:   Watch   Staff:  John (1)

SB 620   (McGuire)   Low-impact camping areas.     Location: Senate Appropriations   Status: 4/20/2023-Read second time and amended. Re-referred to Com. on APPR.   Position:   Support   Staff:  Staci (1)

SB 642   (Cortese)   Hazardous materials: enforcement: county counsel.   Allows county counsels to enforce provisions of state law related to aboveground storage tanks, underground storage tanks, medical waste, and hazardous materials business plans.   Location: Senate Third Reading   Status: 4/13/2023-Read second time. Ordered to third reading.   Position:   Sponsor   Staff:  John (1)

SB 651   (Grove)   Water storage and recharge: California Environmental Quality Act.     Location: Senate Environmental Quality   Status: 4/18/2023-Set for hearing April 26.    Staff: 

SB 675   (Limón)   Prescribed grazing: local assistance grant program: Wildfire and Forest Resilience Task Force.     Location: Senate Appropriations   Status: 4/20/2023-April 24 hearing postponed by committee.   Position:   Support   Staff:  Staci (1)

SB 707   (Newman)   Responsible Textile Recovery Act of 2023.   Creates a Responsible Textile Recovery Act to require producers to establish a stewardship program for collection and recycling of apparel and textiles that are unsuitable for reuse by a consumer.   Location: Senate Judiciary   Status: 4/13/2023-Set for hearing April 25.   Position:   Watch   Staff:  John (1)

SB 751   (Padilla)   Franchise agreements: labor impasse.   Prohibits a local government from entering into an exclusive franchise agreement for waste services, or an amended agreement, that contains a force majeure provision that can be triggered by a labor impasse.   Location: Senate Gov. & F.   Status: 4/20/2023-Set for hearing May 3.   Position:   Watch   Staff:  John (1)

SB 752   (Padilla)   Solid waste: collection service: disruptions.     Location: Senate Judiciary   Status: 4/11/2023-Set for hearing April 18. April 18 set for first hearing canceled at the request of author.   Position:   Watch   Staff:  John (1)

SB 753   (Caballero)   Cannabis: water resources.   SB 753 amends Section 11358 of the Health and Safety Code to include groundwater as a public resource, and establishes that the theft of groundwater, unauthorized tapping into a water conveyance or storage infrastructure, or digging an unpermitted, illegal well may also be punished by imprisonment. This is an RCRC Sponsored Bill.   Location: Senate Natural Resources and Water   Status: 4/13/2023-Set for hearing April 25.   Position:   Sponsor   Staff:  Sarah (1)

SB 768   (Caballero)   California Environmental Quality Act: vehicle miles traveled: statement of overriding consideration.   States legislative intent to create a new transportation impact analysis for rural areas for purposes of the California Enivronmental Quality Act.   Location: Senate Environmental Quality   Status: 4/18/2023-April 19 set for first hearing canceled at the request of author.   Position:   Watch   Staff:  John (1)